Pineapple With a Hint of Romance
by Dakota Kent
Summary: It's been six months since Shawn and Juliet became an official couple. What does this anniversary have in-store for them?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

' _I am the luckiest man alive.' _Shawn's happy thoughts were evident by the smile on his face. Today marked his and Juliet's six month anniversary as a couple. Shawn had known well before their first date that Juliet was the woman for him and to his delight, and after much flirting and harmless teasing, Juliet had accepted his invitation to spend a day at the aquarium. As long as they went as friends and it was not a date. That 'not-a-date' led to another 'not-a-date' until one day changed all of that….

"Hey, Jules, wanna visit the wharf tomorrow night?' asked Shawn, sliding onto the edge of Detective O'Hara's desk. "Just as friends, of course," he added quickly upon receiving a strange look from her that he couldn't quite place. Except that look didn't mean what he assumed it meant.

"I don't think so, Shawn." Juliet remained seated as Shawn's face fell.

"Oh, okay."

A small smile played across her lips as she stood up and moved to face the pouting 'psychic'. "I don't want to do anything as 'just friends' anymore." Shawn raised his eyebrows questioningly, unsure about her next words. "I want to go on a date with you. As a couple," she added, just to get her point across.

Now here they were, six months later and things couldn't be better. Juliet answered the door a bit out of breath after Shawn knocked. _'Funny,' _he thought. _'Usually she the one leaving _me_ breathless.'_

"Hi!" she breathed, dazzling Shawn with her smile.

"You okay?"

"Fine, fine. I was working on…something in the kitchen when you knocked." Shawn noticed the apron Juliet wore had flecks of flour and spots of syrup.

"A present. For me. Is it a present for me?

"Maybe," she said evasively, moving aside to let Shawn in.

Shawn, upon entering the house, took a big whiff of whatever was being worked on in the kitchen. "Mmm, smells very familiar, like--"

"Stop!" Juliet quickly put a hand up to his face, blocking his air supply. "Don't smell, you'll ruin the surprise."

"I love it when you get rough," he mumbled through her hand.

"Oh, you're going to guess anyway," she said defeated, but Shawn could tell she just didn't want to wait to show him what was going on. She took Shawn's hand and led him to the kitchen saying, "I was going to wait until later but, well, here you go." She removed the lid from a cake pan and held it out for Shawn to see. Before Shawn was a delectable looking pineapple upside down cake. He saw the proud look on Juliet's face and felt truly touched by the gesture. Juliet held out a fork, urging Shawn to try his cake. Setting down the cake tray, she watched Shawn for a reaction.

"Do you like it?" Juliet nibbled her lip nervously waiting for Shawn's reply.

"Jules, I love it, it's delicious." Shawn set his fork aside to pull Juliet in for a kiss. She could taste the cake mixed with Shawn's own personal, indescribable, unparalleled taste. Unwilling to let the moment end, she stepped forward to prolong the kiss when Shawn started to break it. He chuckled when he felt her deepen their kiss and reluctantly pulled out of her grip to rest his forehead against hers.

"You know, we'll never get around to what I have planned if this keeps up."

"Mm-hmmm," came her distracted reply, eyes still closed, perfectly fine with making out with her boyfriend in her kitchen the rest of the night.

Juliet finally opened her eyes and smiled up at Shawn. "I'll go get ready," she said while untying her apron and laying it across a chair.

Shawn grabbed a slice of pineapple off the top of his upside down cake…'_or would that be the bottom?'_… and ate it while he walked into the living room to wait for Juliet.

On one of the shelves Shawn saw a clay pineapple he had made Juliet when she insisted they take a pottery class together. The class hadn't been bad, actually. Any time he gets to spend with Juliet is okay in his book, and Shawn, it turned out, was a whiz at the pottery wheel. Especially compared to Juliet. But she had looked so cute after class every night covered in clay.

Shawn also saw the picture he had taken of Juliet and Gus bonding at the carnival. Both had refused to go near Shawn after he had ejected the contents of his lunch--three cotton candies, an elephant ear, and a can of soda pop--after one of the rides. It was nice to know he was what brought them closer as friends, though.

Shawn's favorite had to be the picture of himself and Juliet at Henry's birthday party that Juliet insisted they throw for him. They were looking at each other, laughing at a long-forgotten joke, and neither had known the picture was being taken. The looks of adoration on their faces for one another still made him stop and stare every time he saw the picture.

"Okay, all set." Shawn's thoughts shifted when he saw Juliet walking towards him in a pair of slim jeans and a blue sweater that fit her just right. _'Perfection'_.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Juliet looked down to make sure she didn't have toothpaste on her shirt or was wearing mismatched shoes. She wouldn't be surprised if that had been the case. After all, it's difficult to concentrate on much of anything when a handsome, witty man who could drive her crazy yet make her weak in the knees was waiting in her living room.

"You look stunning," he said in awe of the gorgeous blonde standing before him.

"Thanks."

Shawn grinned at the blush he saw on her face and held out his arm for her. "Shall we?" Juliet gladly accepted.


	2. Chapter 2

"What exactly do you have planned?" Juliet wondered out loud, clinging tighter to Shawn's arm as he carefully led her down a set of old wooden steps to a stretch of beach she'd never seen before.

"A man never reveals his secrets," Shawn said coyly. Juliet just rolled her eyes. They were now strolling along the beach, just out of reach of the tide, the waves crawling up to tickle their feet, only to be pulled back into the ocean once more. The cry of the gulls was growing fainter, as was the light from the sun, now spilling an orange glow onto the lavender sky.

"I hope everything's ready." Shawn said this mostly to himself, but Juliet seized the new information excitedly.

"Ready? What did you have to get…." Rounding a large rock, Juliet let her words trail off. On the soft, dry sand was a beach blanket set out with a picnic basket. Surrounding the blanket were a dozen flickering white candles nestled in the sand. Shawn turned to Juliet to watch her reaction.

"Shawn," Juliet stared at the setting before them. "This is beautiful. How did you get all of this done?"

"I had some help from two people who are very gung-ho about this relationship."

"Gus and your dad?" Shawn nodded his affirmation.

"They can't believe I've managed to hold onto you this long."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Juliet wrapped her arms around his neck and said between kisses,

"You,"

_kiss_

"are,"

_kiss_

"amazing."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." He feigned pain when Juliet swatted him playfully on the arm.

Juliet moved over to the blanket and sat down. "What do we have in here?" Opening the basket, she began to remove its contents. Shawn sat down beside her and took the items as she removed them: A container of lasagna, two forks, a bottle of sparkling cider, and two glasses. Shawn had uncorked the cider and poured each of them a glass.

"To you," announced Shawn, handing her a glass of sparkling cider, his preference over wine. "I could never ask for anything more."

"How about to us?" It was Juliet's turn to raise her glass. "Because you're the best thing in my life, too."

"Aw, we are being so sappy right now."

"Shawn, it's our anniversary. Our six month anniversary. It's a big deal, we're allowed to be sappy. I mean, we've been dating for half a year with no major bumps in the road. I haven't felt the urge to shoot you--"

"Thanks for that."

"--and you haven't tired of me."

"That shouldn't even be a concern." Shawn tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Juliet leaned into his touch. "You keep me on my toes, Jules. You make my life better and I love you. Plus, my dad and Gus have threatened me within an inch of my life if I screw this up."

Juliet laughed quietly, touched by Shawn's words and at Henry's and Gus' willingness to inflict pain on her behalf. "I love you, too."

They leant in for a kiss, but this time Shawn didn't attempt to end it anytime soon. When they finally pulled apart for air, Shawn jumped up and exclaimed, "time for your next surprise!"

"I thought this was my surprise," said Juliet as Shawn pulled her to her feet.

Shawn shook his head as if to say 'no you silly girl'. "Jules, Jules, Jules. This," he motioned to the blanket and food, "is only half the surprise. You know me well enough by now; I never know when to stop." Juliet nodded her head in agreement, silent laughter in her eyes.. "Now grab the lasagna. We've got a natural phenomenon to catch."


	3. Chapter 3

"I can't even think of a word to describe it."

"Try 'bioluminescence.'"

Shawn and Juliet had taken their blanket and dinner and had climbed a low rock overlooking an ocean alcove. Any misgivings Juliet had about Shawn's reason for hiking up a big rock in the calm, cool Santa Barbara night were gone now as she sat wrapped in his arms, the beach blanket draped around them. In the water before them, spread out like the stars in the sky, hundreds of jellyfish were pulsating--giving off a green glow as they undulated up through the sea and sank gracefully back down again. Their bodies like crystal bells, their tentacles glossy gossamers.

"Who would've thought bioluminescence could be so magical?" Juliet whispered.

"It's actually the light given off by a chemical reaction taking place within a creature. In this case a jellyfish. They congregate here to mate and the light they emit is to attract mates."

Juliet gazed back at Shawn from where she sat between his legs, her back resting against his chest. "Thanks for clearing that up."

"Well, I am known for my skills of enlightenment."

"Oh, yes, of course. How could I forget?"

"Mocking me, Jules?" Juliet turned a shocked expression on him.

"Me? Never." But she let a giggle slip.

"Uh-huh. Just as I thought." With that, Shawn began tickling her mercilessly, skimming his fingers over her ribs where he knew she was most sensitive. Shawn got caught up in listening to Juliet's musical laughter, and she seized his moment of distraction to flip their position--Shawn found himself pinned to the ground staring up into her sparkling blue eyes.

"Gotcha," she said smugly.

"No fair using your police maneuvers on me."

"You've never complained before." Shawn smirked and Juliet couldn't help but sit there for a moment longer, loving the way his eyes crinkled when he gave her that smile. She gave him a short kiss before letting him up.

"Did you like your surprise?"

Juliet cocked her head to one side. "I loved it, Shawn. I love all of your surprises." Juliet bit her lip as she reconsidered that statement. "Uh, except for that one that involved Cheez Whiz and a Koosh ball…."

'_What is she saying? That was a classic,' _he thought, reminiscing.

She locked eyes with him again. "But I _always_ love you Shawn. No matter what. I love you."

Shawn never tired of hearing her say those words. Those words that had come to mean more to him than he ever thought possible. She made them mean something to him. "I love you Jules." Shawn reached for her and pulled her in for another kiss. "Whadya say we head back. I think I could use some more pineapple cake. You know, for sustenance." Juliet smiled and stood up, helping Shawn do the same, and leaned over for one last look at the glowing jellyfish. "Yeah, I wouldn't get too close," warned Shawn. "This particular species of jellyfish have a sting that packs a wallop."

"Oh!" Juliet made a hasty retreat from her perch at the end of the rock. After climbing back down to the beach, the two began their stroll back down the beach and left the jellies to their task of finding a mate. Two lovers were heading home, hand-in-hand, knowing they'd already found where they belong.

"Best six month anniversary ever." Shawn heard her whisper while they walked back to the car.

'_Just wait until we hit the one year mark,' he thought to himself with a smile._


End file.
